Paralegal (Trusts & Estate Planning)

Goodwin; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Retirement plan

Paid vacation and holidays

Sick time off

Professional development

Career advancement opportunities

Employee recognition programs

Employee wellness programs

Employee discounts

Job summary

Goodwin, a leading law firm, seeks an experienced Paralegal for the Global Operations Team in Boston. You will support estate administration, probate filings, and fiduciary tax work while collaborating with attorneys and clients on groundbreaking matters.

You will develop relationships with our attorneys and clients, building substantive knowledge to add value to the practice. Strong organizational and communication skills are essential.

Qualifications

• BA/BS preferred with law firm experience preferred.
• Strong organizational and communication skills required.
• Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks.
• Ability to work well in a team environment and coordinate with attorneys.

Responsibilities

• Supports estate administration and probate processes.
• Prepares trust and estate accountings and financial records.
• Calculates distributive shares and maintains forms.
• Coordinates with Probate Court and prepares filings.
• Assists in preparation of fiduciary and estate tax returns.
• Manages trust account activity and reviews financial summaries.
• Collaborates with trustees and firm accounting staff.
• Transmits knowledge to future projects and maintains consistency.
• Handles complex matters with supervision from attorneys.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Notary willingness

Education

BA/BS preferred

Tools

SEI/SWP familiarity

Job description

Join Goodwin’s Global Operations Team, and make a real impact on a global scale. At Goodwin, we work with some of the world’s most successful and innovative investors, entrepreneurs and disruptors in the life sciences, private equity, real estate, technology and financial industries, and where they converge. As part of the Global Operations Team – all business professionals at the firm – you’ll collaborate with colleagues from varied backgrounds and experiences, fostering an environment where cross-functional learning, networking, and collaboration are at the core of what we do.

Here, we’re not just supporting a law firm; we’re partnering with attorneys and clients to deliver cutting‑edge solutions in high‑stakes litigation and dispute resolution, world‑class regulatory compliance and advisory services, and complex transactions. Our commitment to integrity, ingenuity, agility, and ambition drives us, and we’re proud to have been recognised as the “Best Business Team” by The American Lawyer.

This is your opportunity to grow professionally in a dynamic, global environment, surrounded by forward‑thinking peers.

At Goodwin we realize that being a paralegal is not just a job, it is a profession. As professionals, Paralegals are offered opportunities to play key roles on our client teams while also developing themselves to the highest caliber. Goodwin Paralegals work side‑by‑side with attorneys to provide high‑quality, cost effective legal services on each of our groundbreaking matters. They add value through experience, advising on how to best approach tasks at hand.

As a Trusts & Estate Planning Paralegal at Goodwin, you will have the opportunity to develop strong relationships with our attorneys and clients, while building substantive and institutional knowledge that adds critical value to our practice.

What You Will Do:

• Conduct various activities in connection with estate administration and Probate Court proceedings including: preparing trust and estate accountings, maintaining financial records of estates, calculating distributive shares of heirs and maintaining and updating form files.
• Act as liaison with Probate Court: prepare documents to be filed, manage formal/informal probate processes, obtain certified copies of death, will and marriage certificates, arrange for appraisals and bond, and make preliminary tax estimates.
• Perform other duties related to estate administration.
• Assist in preparation of fiduciary income and charitable tax returns, coordination of payments of estimates and tax, prepare initial drafts of gift and estate tax returns, and assisting in audits of estate tax returns.
• Coordinate trust account activity via online bank/investment systems, including funding, distributions, and expense payments, working closely with trustees and firm accounting personnel.
• Prepare and review of trust accountings and financial summaries.
• Assist trustees with other aspects of trust administration.
• Effectively carries knowledge gained regarding how to perform a task or project to the next, similar project, with no re‑explanation, and can at times apply this knowledge to different types of tasks, in order to create efficiencies.
• Handles assignments involving complex matters or fact patterns with supervision from attorneys.
• Proactively stays informed regarding changes in the law pertaining to practice area.

Who You Are:

• BA/BS preferred
• 3 or more years of experience preferred
• Paralegal experience or qualifying work experience in law firm or bank/trust company preferred
• Familiarity with SEI/SWP is a plus
• Strong organizational and communication skills
• High level of attention to detail
• Capable of handling multiple responsibilities
• Ability to work well in a team‑oriented environment
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel is required
• Notary appointment or willingness to obtain appointment.
• Independent understanding of basic ideas and/or legal concepts involved with the types of matters to which he/she is likely to be assigned preferred and seeks such information on assigned matters.
• Independently handles unexpected issues that arise during the course of a project.

Benefits and More

At Goodwin, you will discover your next career opportunity with a rewarding compensation package and comprehensive benefits, including:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance

• Life and disability insurance

• Retirement & Savings Plan

• Emergency back-up child and adult care

• Paid vacation, sick time off, and holidays

• Professional development and career advancement opportunities

• Employee recognition and reward programs

• Employee wellness and assistance programs

• Employee discounts and perks

This position is eligible for overtime: Yes

The Target Salary Range For This Position Varies By Location And Is Commensurate With Relevant Experience: $90,000.00 - $100,000.00.